Methods and systems for managing energy usage in buildings

ABSTRACT

A method and system for managing energy usage in a building is provided. The method includes collecting data on energy consumption in the building on a generally continuous basis for at least a given time period. Information relating to the energy consumption is displayed to a user on one or more devices. The information includes (a) the data collected on energy consumption to be displayed in real-time on the one or more devices, (b) a comparison of the data collected on energy consumption in the building to energy consumption data of a cohort or group of cohorts, (c) recommendations for reducing energy consumption in the building based on the data collected on energy consumption, and (d) progress report data comparing the data collected on energy consumption to a desired consumption level.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/185,012, filed on Jun. 8, 2009, entitled ENERGYMONITORING SYSTEM, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present application relates generally to methods and systems formanaging and reducing energy consumption in buildings.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one or more embodiments, a method of managing energyusage in a building is provided. The method includes collecting data onenergy consumption in the building on a generally continuous basis forat least a given time period. Information relating to the energyconsumption is displayed to a user on one or more devices. Theinformation includes (a) the data collected on energy consumption to bedisplayed in real-time on the one or more devices, (b) a comparison ofthe data collected on energy consumption in the building to energyconsumption data of a cohort or group of cohorts, (c) recommendationsfor reducing energy consumption in the building based on the datacollected on energy consumption, and (d) progress report data comparingthe data collected on energy consumption to a desired consumption level.

A system is provided for managing energy usage in a building. The systemincludes an apparatus for collecting data on energy consumption in thebuilding on a generally continuous basis for at least a given timeperiod. The system also includes a gateway that communicates with theapparatus for receiving data on energy consumption in the building. Thegateway transmits the data on energy consumption in the building to aremote server computer system. The system also includes one or moredevices communicating with the gateway or the server for receivinginformation relating to the energy consumption to be displayed to auser. The information includes (a) the data collected on energyconsumption displayed in real-time on the one or more devices, (b) acomparison of the data collected on energy consumption in the buildingto energy consumption data of a cohort or group of cohorts, (c)recommendations for reducing energy consumption in the building based onthe data collected on energy consumption, and (d) progress report datacomparing the data collected on energy consumption to a desiredconsumption level.

Various embodiments of the invention are provided in the followingdetailed description. As will be realized, the invention is capable ofother and different embodiments, and its several details may be capableof modifications in various respects, all without departing from theinvention. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regardedas illustrative in nature and not in a restrictive or limiting sense,with the scope of the application being indicated in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an energy management systemin accordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary method of installing currenttransformers around house mains.

FIG. 3 illustrates a house monitor enclosure in accordance with one ormore embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a system block diagram illustrating an exemplary end-to-endsystem, showing a gateway in accordance with one or more embodiments ingreater detail.

FIG. 5 illustrates basic software tasks and timing for processes in thegateway in the accordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary display in accordance with one or moreembodiments.

FIG. 7 is a screenshot of an exemplary “savings goal” page presented tousers in accordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 8 is a screenshot of an exemplary introduction audit screen inaccordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 9 is screenshot of an example of a savings plan presented to auser.

FIG. 10 is a screenshot of an example of a final screen of the intakeand audit process in accordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 11 is a screenshot of a sample navigation box in accordance withone or more embodiments.

FIG. 12 is a screenshot of an example of a portion of a user guide inaccordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 13 is a screenshot of an example of a dashboard in accordance withone or more embodiments.

FIG. 14 is a screenshot of an example of a home monitor graph inaccordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 15 is a screenshot of an example of a snapshot in accordance withone or more embodiments.

FIG. 16 is a screenshot of an example of a current use box displayed toa user in accordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 17 is a screenshot of an example of a projected use box inaccordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 18 is a screenshot of an example of a community activity newsfeedin accordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 19 is a screenshot of an example of an action detail page inaccordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 20 is a screenshot of an example of a threaded discussion page inaccordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 21 is a screenshot of an example of a savings plan page inaccordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 22 is a screenshot of an example of a “Your Home” page inaccordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 23 is a screenshot of an example of a “Your Town” page inaccordance with one or more embodiments.

FIG. 24 is a screenshot of an example of a reports page in accordancewith one or more embodiments.

FIG. 25 is a screenshot of an example of a kiosk page in accordance withone or more embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments disclosed herein are directed to energy monitoringsystems and methods that effectively help consumers reduce their energyconsumption by combining real time, in home, power monitoring with ascientifically based behavioral change program that can leverage bothexpert advice and community tools. By coupling real-time energy feedbackwith historical analysis of energy use, the system can help users reduceenergy use and achieve persistent savings. The system can include webserver software (described in the exemplary embodiments herein as theiCES—Interactive Customer Engagement System) and a wireless home areanetwork including a house monitor, appliance monitor, gateway, and oneor more in house displays. These systems can be provided, e.g., toutility customers with a defined methodology for selecting pilotcandidates based upon user profiles, identifying appropriatecommunications, selecting information sharing options and creatingincentive programs to support behavioral change.

While the term ‘house’ or ‘home’ is used in the description of some ofthe embodiments included herein, it should be understood that themethods and systems disclosed herein can be implemented in any type ofbuilding (residential, commercial, industrial, etc.). The term‘building’ is intended to include entire buildings (e.g., houses) or anyportion of a building (e.g., an apartment in an apartment building).

In accordance with one or more embodiments, the system applies provensocial science methodologies to improving energy efficiency andconservation, engaging users on a more personal level to reduce theirenergy consumption as well as creating a feedback loop between the userand the energy provider. Through timely engagement, the system'shardware and software platform can be implemented in varied settings toencourage individuals to manage or reduce energy consumption. In one ormore embodiments, behavior change principals (including, e.g., goalsetting, feedback, taking action, and social activity) are integratedinto the system at both the hardware and software level.

In accordance with one or more embodiments, the system includes anambient, glance-able display (described in some exemplary embodimentsherein as GLANCE), which can incorporate behavior change and socialpressure principals to create a generally constant awareness of anindividual's energy use. Through a customizable wireless radio routerand firmware, different participating populations can be segmented andaddressed according to their specific motivations and needs. Inaccordance with some embodiments, a house level/circuit monitor (currenttransformer or CT clamps) transfers two second energy consumption datato both a gateway (which passes the data to a community server) and oneor more GLANCE displays in the building.

In one or more embodiments, the system includes a data warehouse serverat which data can be stored, normalized, and analyzed. The datawarehouse server can recognize energy consumption patterns at anindividual as well as aggregate level. Through predictive modeling, theserver can also be capable of forecasting future energy consumptionpatterns at both an individual and aggregate level. Users interact withthe collected data through a community server. Numerous interfaces withdifferent access privileges can be provided in the community server toservice energy consumers, power providers, and system administrators.Power providers can have access to collective historical/trend reportingmechanisms.

In accordance with various embodiments, the energy monitoring systemcollects and delivers content related to energy efficiency andconservation. The content can be delivered as ‘actions’ (such as tasksand habits), which provide direction to a user to reach his or herenergy savings goal. A task is something a user does once, or after someperiod of time such as once a year. Tasks have steps attached to them,with more detail on how to complete the task. A habit is something auser does more frequently (and less likely to involve spending money).Habits are important to core behavior change principals, creating anenvironment of generally continuous engagement and feedback. Habits donot have to-dos, though there are Tips related to Habits. Tips providethe supporting content for Tasks and Habits. Tips can be provided, e.g.,in emails and are tied to appliances and devices in a building thatconsumes energy. The tasks, habits, and related content delivered to auser can be customized based on a user's profile. Content can be managedwithin a Content Management System (CMS), which can be configured basedon client and client preferences.

In accordance with one or more embodiments, the energy monitoring systemcan implement real time power monitoring at the house, circuit, and pluglevel. Real time power monitoring of the whole house is sampled and sentto the system's servers. The energy monitoring system in accordance withvarious embodiments can compare energy consumption data to historicaltrends, community activity, and an individual's personal goals. This canbe done, e.g., through the Home self-audit, Dashboard, Learn and Save,Your Savings Plan, Your Home, Your Town and Reports modules described infurther detail below. The system compares individual householdconsumption with meaningful comparable cohort groups, which can becreated, e.g., on initial user “welcome” or setup screens. Since powerconsumption data is stored on system's servers, the system also has theability to send consumption data elsewhere (e.g., power company, a usermobile phone, etc.) and to relay messages back to the individual's housethrough demand-response (e.g., turn down AC remotely, etc.)

In accordance with one or more embodiments, through a series ofquestionnaires, the system can develop profiles of users. Profiling canhelp the system discover a user's motivation for saving energy and wheretheir energy is being used. Motivations for saving energy couldpotentially be monetary, environmental, or consumption based. The systemcan collect information about a user's energy use via, e.g.,questionnaires, self audits with the house monitor, and real time auditsbased on an audit tool. From these data points and by making use of thetasks module, the system can pinpoint where a user can make an impact ontheir energy consumption. By coupling a user's personal motivation withtheir energy priorities, the system can custom tailor an attainableenergy savings program for a user.

This initial goal can impact various parts of the system as it motivesthe consumer to stay on track with their goal. Systems can be put inplace to let the user know if they are on or off track for their goal.In one or more embodiments, rewards can be presented to users who haveachieved a given goal.

In accordance with one or more embodiments, by implementing known socialand community models, the system can help facilitate energy efficiencyand conservation through social support and social comparison. Eachhousehold can be placed in a cohort group, and the household'sconsumption is compared to that group. Every customer is part of acommunity, whether it is externally created (everyone in a user'sbuilding, everyone who has a child in the 3rd grade at the localelementary school, etc.) or self organized and not necessarilygeographic. Communities help individuals achieve personal goals bynaturally coalescing around common goals. Using scientifically basedbehavioral change, the system can facilitate personal energy consumptionreduction through collective action. Communities collectively act ontasks, which can be created by experts and/or active members of the usercommunity. Tasks (insulate your water heater, buy a smart power strip,etc.) are rated and improved upon by individuals who have tried the taskand have feedback and/or improvements to add. Individuals can interactwith experts both through “Ask the Expert” functionality and through thesnapshot tool.

In accordance with one or more embodiments, a Community Newsfeed moduleis included in a Web portal dashboard, and can be used both to let theconsumer know their status relative to their goal and to create abi-directional communication channel between users, thereby encouragingsocial interaction and therefore behavior change. An Alerts moduleprovides a communications channel from a power company to a customer.They can then let the user know when there is peak energy demand or canturn down the consumer's thermostat on the consumer's behalf.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an energy management systemin accordance with one or more embodiments. The system is used in abuilding (e.g., home, apartment, office, or industrial facility). Thesystem includes a House Monitor as part of a Home Area Network (HAN).The HAN is intended to facilitate efficiency improvements for energyconsumption. The House Monitor monitors, and then reports, theconsumption of energy within the home, apartment, and/or office to aGateway (base station), thereby informing the customer of consumptiontrends.

In one or more embodiments, the house monitor can measure AC housecurrent using Current Transformer (CT) sensors that are affixed to, andencircle, the conductor wire(s) (circuits) that are being monitored(e.g., the House Main wires that supply the current and voltage to thehouse). The data that is collected by the CT and electronic circuitry isthen coupled to an internal ZigBee module and protocol. (Although theZigBee protocol is mentioned in various exemplary embodiments herein, itshould be understood that various other wireless protocols can also beused.) The House Monitor ZigBee Module then sends the data to theGateway using the ZigBee wireless link.

In one or more exemplary embodiments, the Current Transformers (CT) canconnect to the House Monitor via phone plugs (similar to those containedon a stereo headset) and sockets. Each plug accommodates two conductorsfrom each CT and the mating sockets are mounted to the printed circuitboard located within the enclosure, and can be accessible through accessholes in the enclosure wall.

When current in a circuit is too high to directly apply to measuringinstruments, a current transformer produces a reduced current accuratelyproportional to the current in the circuit, which can be convenientlyconnected to measuring and recording instruments such as the HouseMonitor. A current transformer also isolates the measuring instrumentsfrom what may be very high voltage in the primary circuit. Consequently,current transformers are commonly used in metering in the electric powerindustry.

Like any other transformer, a current transformer has a primary winding,a magnetic core, and a secondary winding. The alternating currentflowing in the primary produces a magnetic field in the core, which theninduces current flow in the secondary winding circuit. The primary andsecondary circuits should be efficiently coupled, so that the secondarycurrent bears an accurate relationship to the primary current.

The most common design of a CT comprises a length of wire wrapped manytimes around a split core silicon steel ring which is passed over(around) the circuit being measured (such as House Current). The CT'sprimary circuit therefore comprises a single ‘turn’ of conductor, with asecondary of many hundreds of turns. Window-type current transformerssuch as the CT are common, which can have circuit cables running throughthe middle of an opening in the core to provide a single-turn primarywinding.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary method of installing CTs around theHouse Mains.

Current transformers are used extensively for measuring current andmonitoring the operation of the power grid. Along with voltage leads,revenue-grade CTs drive the electrical utility's watt-hour meter onvirtually every building with three-phase service, and every residence,facility, or commercial building with greater than 200 amp service.

By way of example, the system can use a CT that is manufactured byMagnelab, (model number SCT-0750-100). This CT contains a “burden”resistor and will produce 333 mVACrms with 100 amps of primary ACcurrent. As a result of the house current varying from 0.0 amps to 100amps, the output voltage will also vary in a very linear manner from 0.0VACrms to 333 mVACrms. This voltage is then connected via a mono phoneplug and socket to the amplifier circuits located on the House Monitorprinted circuit board.

In an exemplary embodiment, the House Monitor contains two (andpossibly) three generally identical circuits that accommodate two (or upto 12 circuits as an option) independent CTs (FIG. 1 shows two identicalcircuits). This provides an independent CT as well as a rectifier andamplifier for up to three phases of the building mains. While there areonly three identical circuits in the current version of the HouseMonitor, theoretically there is no limit to the number of conductorsthat could be monitored simultaneously.

The first Amp stage in FIG. 1 will rectify the AC signal and then couplethe rectified signal on to the second Amp stage where it will beamplified. The gain of the first stage is held at unity (Gain=1) toguarantee symmetry of the rectified waveform. The second stage of theHouse Monitor amplifies the signal by a factor of approximately 3.61 tocreate a signal that is compatible with the ADC circuits within theZigBee Module.

The signal output of the second stage (of each rectifier/amplifiercircuit in FIG. 1) is then passed to the two pole resistor-capacitor(R-C) filter network where the signal is smoothed into a DC voltage. Thecorner of the RC filter is below 1 Hertz, so the ripple has been reducedto a point of creating a relatively clean DC signal. This DC voltagesignal is then transferred to the analog to digital (ADC) inputcircuitry within the ZigBee module.

The 10-bit ADC circuits within the ZigBee module convert the analogsignals to a digital circuit. As the DC levels change, the digitallevels change proportionately. That is, the digital levels can vary inequal step values from 0 to 1023, ranging from an input DC voltage of0.0 volts to approximately 1.20 volts. The digital levels are thentransmitted via a wireless link to the gateway via the ZigBee protocol.Once the gateway has received the wireless signal and has recovered thedigital level from the wireless signal, the digital level can then befurther processed for transmission to the server via the Internet. Thedata can then be utilized to determine the House AC current for thepurpose of determining the house power consumption.

The House Monitor can be mounted on any surface near the House Mainsand/or the panelboard. By way of example, the length or the twisted pairwires is approximately eight (8) feet long and the power supply wires issix (6) feet long. Each of the plugs is inserted into a mating socket(jack) and is held in position via a friction fit. The sockets/jacks aremounted directly to the circuit board and are accessible through theenclosure wall. These connections are connected as shown in FIG. 3(shown with a third CT).

FIG. 4 is a system block diagram illustrating an exemplary end-to-endsystem, showing the Gateway in greater detail. Monitors feed utilityusage information to the Gateway via ZigBee wireless links, and thisinformation is processed with a set of Python programs and delivered tothe Server online via TCP/IP in XML format as well as to local displaysvia ZigBee.

In the exemplary embodiment, the gateway can comprise a third partyproduct that operates with custom software developed for the product. Byway of example, the Gateway is a product from Digi International. It isa ConnectPort X2, Ethernet, X2-Z11-EC-A.

The Gateway can be used in any building. In the exemplary embodiment, itis particularly suitable for use in including houses, apartments,offices or small industrial facilities. The Gateway is part of the HomeArea Network (HAN). The HAN is intended to facilitate efficiencyimprovements in energy consumption. The Gateway gathers and reportsenergy consumption within the home, apartment, and/or office to theServer and Display Units to inform the customer of consumption trends.

The Gateway receives data via a ZigBee module, processes that data in anumber of ways, and then uploads information via TCP/IP to the Server.In addition, the Gateway receives information downloaded from the Serverand combines it with local data fed to various Display Units on the HAN.In one or more embodiments, it may also communicate using the ZigBeeSmart Energy Profile or another device networking technology to smartappliances, smart plugs, and smart thermostats for individual devicemonitoring and load control.

In the exemplary embodiment described below, the software for theGateway is written in the Python programming language. It includesopen-source libraries for posting information on the Web via HypertextTransfer Protocol, parsing URL addresses and making File TransferProtocol connections. In addition it uses proprietary libraries formaking socket-type connections and API type connections to ZigBeeradios, as well as issuing commands to the underlying operating system.Software may support ZigBee Smart Energy Profile, Z-wave, 6IoPAN, ZigBeeover WiFi or any other device networking technology. There are a numberof component functions performed by the Gateway software including abootloader, memory monitoring, time lookup, network mapping, devicesetup, obtaining monitor data, processing data for displays, processingdata for uploads, uploading data to the server, receiving messages fromthe server and a variety of supporting functions such as those forcreating and reading communications in XML format.

FIG. 5 illustrates the basic software tasks and timing for each processin the exemplary embodiment as discussed below.

On startup, and possibly periodically thereafter, the Gateway softwareversion can be automatically checked against the latest version assignedto that device on the Server. The local version information is loadedfrom a specific firmware file stored in the operating system. An HTTPconnection can be made via the GET method that identifies the uniquedevice. It requests the latest software version, an FTP path to thatversion, and whether or not to download the latest version at that time.

If the server directs the device to initiate a new version download (orto re-download the existing software version), the Gateway makes aconnection to the FTP path and downloads all files in that directory,with the new version indicator file being the last to be downloaded.This means that the device only detects that the update was successfulif all files have been downloaded. At the end of this process, theGateway is automatically rebooted.

If the server does not indicate that a new download is required, thebootloader process exits without making any changes to the filestructure.

Software files can also be uploaded using various other Internet cloudtechnologies that maintain an open TCP/IP socket for this purpose.

When the main program begins, a record is made of the free devicememory. Periodically thereafter, on every attempt to record data, memoryis checked to make sure there is enough available. As long as 10 percentof the initial memory is still free, the software will continue torecord data, otherwise it will skip recording new data until an uploadcan be made to the server.

A Python garbage collection routine can be requested on an hourly basis,to ensure that any inefficient use of device memory is periodicallycorrected.

Free memory statistics can be uploaded to the server with every set ofdata posted, in case this information is useful for tracking down deviceproblems in the future.

At startup, and on a daily basis thereafter, the Gateway makes aconnection to one of a group of Simple Network Time Protocol (SNTP)servers and retrieves an accurately updated Coordinated Universal Time(UTC) stamp. This time stamp allows a calculation of the current timeusing the devices internal runtime clock.

If no time server is found on startup, the Gateway retries every tenseconds until it gets a response, since the software requires accuratetime for other functions. After that, any connection failures simplycause the time update to be retried on the next scheduled check.

At startup, every five minutes for the first two hours, and every hourthereafter, the Gateway polls the local wireless network for informationfrom responding nodes (display and monitoring devices). The responses tothis poll are recorded in a local database in memory, so that theGateway is aware of all devices currently participating in the network.

Polling can be done more frequently during the first two hours to pickup new devices more rapidly during installation or testing of the homearea network. It can also be triggered when devices send a joiningmessage at startup.

On a daily basis, the Gateway completely refreshes its network map, toremove any old nodes that might otherwise remain in cached memory. Thisensures a high probability of checking all existing devices but notdevices that have been permanently removed from the network.

Each time a network mapping event takes place, it is followed by aremote device setup process to ensure that each of the devices found isproperly configured. Customized setup commands are sent based on themodel of device to ensure that each can properly rejoin the network,sleep cyclically together and that these settings are retained by thedevices even if their power is cycled on and off. Additional commandscan be added to this procedure as needed, when new devices are createdfor the system.

Power monitoring can be performed by House Monitors, Appliance Monitors,and other utility usage monitoring devices. By way of example, thesedevices can be polled every two seconds, and respond with one or moremeasurements of electrical current (or other utility usage). Theseresponses are stored in memory and aggregated for various types ofoutput.

Monitoring devices are selected for polling based upon the informationgenerated by the network mapping processes. Polling may also happenremotely using technologies like advanced metering infrastructure orautomated meter reading, supplying the Gateway with data via an onlinedownload.

Two different polls are conducted, one for remote upload to the Serverand online display, the other for local graphical display of usage data.These polls happen at different frequencies and for different purposes,so the processes are independent.

Monitoring data is processed and transmitted for presentation on localdisplays by the Gateway. This processing is dependent on the type ofdisplay and the information needing to be transmitted.

For exemplary displays, like the GLANCE power meter (which is describedin further detail below), a frame of data is generated every severalseconds that is transmitted to any appropriate devices discovered duringnetwork mapping. These commands are specific requests to configurevisual and sound outputs on the receiving device, so that LCD or LEDoutputs can be switched on and off to generate a usage graph and messagealert functions.

Received data is processed and transmitted to the Server to feed theonline user interface systems and for archiving purposes. Thisprocessing happens as needed, based on the data batch size. For example,this can happen once per minute.

Data about the Gateway, identifying information about the monitoringsensor units and the usage data itself is compiled into a plain-text XMLstructure that also includes simple averages to reduce the processingload on the central Server. Debugging data can be included in the XMLformat so that information about runtime and memory use can be recordedto help with troubleshooting problems if needed.

The XML data is passed via a queue to a threaded process for uploading.

Threaded processes handle all regular uploads and downloads from theServer, so that delays in server communication or response do notinterrupt local monitoring and display functions. These threadedprocesses read from queues to retrieve XML batches for HTTP POST to theServer. Threads launch on startup, and constantly monitor the queue fornew data.

If a POST fails for any reason, the XML batch is returned to the queueand the connection is retried until the batch can be delivered.

Once a POST has been made successfully the Server returns a successmessage, along with other status information. If a success message isreceived by the Gateway, the XML batch is deleted from the queue, as itis no longer needed and its memory can be recovered.

Other threaded processes parse the status information received from theserver on a regular basis. This status information includes the uniqueID of the House Monitor assigned to that site, the current multiplierfor turning raw readings into measures of energy, a scale for meteringdevices that require one and message information for displaying alertlights. All of this status information is delivered in XML structures.

The XML status information is parsed locally and put into variables sothat it can be retrieved when needed by the various calculation anddisplay processes that drive the local output devices. In someembodiments, additional information can be downloaded in the sameformat, to drive other output devices such as thermostats and appliancepower switching.

The Gateway can use a variety of supporting functions such as those forcreating and reading communications in XML format, SNTP request andparsing functions, and other methods generally available and used byprogrammers to support similar types of functionality in software.

Because of the bootloader functions, improvements and new functions canbe added to the Gateway as needed.

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary display in accordance with one or moreembodiments. The display (which is referred to herein as the GLANCEdisplay) can be an LED display used in any building including, homes,apartments, offices, and industrial facilities. The GLANCE displayfunctions as part of the Home Area Network (HAN). The HAN facilitatesefficiency improvements for energy consumption in the building.

In accordance with one or more embodiments, the GLANCE display reportsenergy consumption in the form of a bar graph. The GLANCE display alsodisplays the user's goal state or status through the color of anilluminated ring. The display is preferably lightweight and small,allowing it to be placed virtually anywhere in the building. The displaycan be simple, just giving a user a quick visualization of thehousehold's power consumption in real-time. When the goal ring flashesred, or the display's buzzer sounds, it alerts users to messages fromthe Utilities and the system server.

In accordance with one or more embodiments, the GLANCE Display includesa circuit board that acts as a motherboard, containing a microprocessor,LEDs, voltage regulators, various electric circuits and components, aswell as a ZigBee module. The ZigBee module links with and receives datafrom the Gateway ZigBee module. The motherboard attaches to an enclosurefront cover, and locates the LEDs against the inside of the front coverand light-pipes, in a recessed area.

The GLANCE Display software can reside on the microprocessor. Thesoftware can control the bar graph displays, the message indicator/goalstate LEDs and the audio buzzer. The ZigBee radio can be configured toautomatically communicate with the HAN system. Over-the-air firmwareupdates can also be utilized for upgrading the software afterinstallation.

In accordance with one or more embodiments, the Server imports contentfrom the real time energy consumption monitors, and hosts a Web sitethat can be accessed by users through client devices. The server usesthe data to create energy savings interventions with the consumer usingin house displays, web, email and mobile interfaces. Interventionsinclude profiling, task assignment and maintenance, community and cohortcomparisons, real time feedback. In exemplary embodiments, the Communityserver can include the components described below.

In one or more embodiments, the first time a user accesses the Web siteby entering their log in name and password, they are taken to the Intakescreens. The intake page can allow a user to choose a screen name,specify the size of their home or building. In addition, the user canspecify how many adults and how many children live in the home orbuilding. The total number of people living in the home can be used todetermine the cohort group that the user is placed in. The community isdefined by every user that is related to a particular client. Cohorts,on the other hand can be ‘similar households,’ e.g., that have the sameoccupancy numbers. The community server can then compare a user topeople like them and give an accurate estimate of how much power isbeing used, relative to the user's savings goal.

FIG. 7 is a screenshot of an exemplary “savings goal” screen presentedto users in accordance with one or more embodiments. By way of example,a user's default savings goal can be set at 15% prior to them accessingthe site. When the user accesses the site for the first time, he or shecan choose to change a savings goal. This page also provides users withan indication of what their savings would be at each goal level, and alevel of difficulty.

Users are allowed to change their goal periodically, e.g., on a monthlybasis. They can adjust it if they find it to be too easy or if they haveset too aggressive of a goal.

FIG. 8 is a screenshot of an exemplary introduction audit screen inaccordance with one or more embodiments. The audit includes severalsections, broken down by category and including dropdown, multi-selectand numeric question types, resulting in a detailed understanding of ausers' home energy use. The introduction page sets the stage for theaudit, providing the user with an overview of the sections they willneed to complete.

The “Your Home” section includes background questions about a user'shome. Some of the questions are used for reporting purposes, e.g., “Howlong have you lived in your home?” Others will determine the questionsthat will need to be displayed in a later section, e.g., “Do you havecentral air conditioning?” (If the user indicates “yes”, a set of airconditioning questions will appear in the Heating and Cooling section ofthe audit).

Users can be asked to provide information on the number of bulbs andbulb types (incandescent, fluorescent, etc) for each room in the home,plus outside lighting.

Users can be asked to provide answers to detailed questions about theirkitchen appliances to determine energy use, (e.g., “Is your primaryrefrigerator an energy star model?” “How large is this refrigerator?”and “How old is this refrigerator?”), and estimates on usage whereappropriate, e.g., “How many minutes per day do you use your microwaveoven?”

Users can be asked detailed questions about their use of heating andcooling appliances. There will be fewer questions if the home does nothave central air conditioning, fans, etc.

Users can be asked questions about Home Entertainment (e.g., TV type andhours used per day) and Computers (types, and use per day).

Users can also be asked to provide information laundry use, andmiscellaneous appliances such as dehumidifiers and pools and hot tubs,if applicable.

Once a user has completed the audit, the results are compiled and a setof rules around individual responses to the questions are applied sothat recommended energy-saving actions can be proposed forconsideration. This includes calculated potential savings, and theability to add the actions to the Savings Plan. By clicking on “More”,users can read a more detailed description of the action. FIG. 9 isscreenshot of an example of a savings plan presented to the user. Thescreen can be accessed at any time that a user wants to review theirrecommended actions.

FIG. 10 is a screenshot of an example of a final screen of the Intakeand Audit process, which congratulates the user for completing theintake steps, and presents them with some recommended Next Steps as theyenter the website for the first time.

Once intake is completed, users will see the navigation box shown by wayof example in FIG. 11 when they are logged onto the site.

The site is organized so as to be easy to navigate. In one or moreembodiments, there are five main sections of the site:

Dashboard: This is the users' main control center and the first pagethey see when they log in.

Learn and Save: This is where users can find actions, read expert posts,and browse snapshots.

Your Savings Plan: This page summarizes the actions that have beensigned up for, with a calculated potential savings value.

Your Home: The page provides detailed results of the home auditcompleted during intake, including comparisons within the home againstdifferent categories, as well as against similar households.

Your Town: Users can participate in the town discussion forum, see alist of the other users in their town. Also, when Challenges take place,they can be managed on this page.

In one or more embodiments, users are presented with content in the formof suggested actions, next steps, user guides, etc. Once they areengaged in the site and make use of some of the features such assnapshots and expert advice, they will start to generate their owncontent, as well as engage with other users on the site. Social andexpert support are combined to provide a comprehensive community, andtools such as the snapshot tool encourage people to create content onthe site organically.

FIG. 12 is an example of a portion of a user guide in accordance withone or more embodiments.

FIG. 13 is an example of a dashboard in accordance with one or moreembodiments. The Dashboard is the users' control center for their siteactivity. It is the first page they come to each time they log into thesite, and it provides them with their results, next steps, and acontinuous stream of updates to let them know when content is beingcreated. It also provides them with information if their monitoringsystem is experiencing problems, so that they can follow thetroubleshooting steps and contact the system support team if needed.

FIG. 14 is an example of a home monitor graph in accordance with one ormore embodiments. The home monitor graph provides real-time data onenergy consumption. Every minute the graph is updated to provide a kWvalue, as well as a line for “Similar Households” (homes that have thesame number of occupants in their town/group). Users can view the datagraph for a number of different time periods by click on the links nextto the graph: 1 week, 1 day, 12 hours, 6 hours, 3 hours and 1 hour.

Snapshots provides users with a channel for creating content as shown inthe example screenshot of FIG. 15. Users can take a snapshot of theirhome energy use for a given time period. They can also annotatesnapshots with notes and ask questions of the experts that monitor thesite. By clicking on the “take a snapshot” button within the Your Homegraph, users can enter a title and notes, choose a type, flag thesnapshot as public or private, and indicate that they would like to askthe expert a question. Once created, the snapshot will appear withinLearn and Save for other users to view and comment on (as long as it wasflagged as public).

FIG. 16 is an example of a current use box displayed to a user, whichshows users the value of the current kW use in their home. This iscompared to similar households. Users will see a green smiling face ifthey are using less energy than similar households.

FIG. 17 is an example of a projected use box, which shows how a user isdoing relative to their goal, for the day, week or month, depending onthe time interval selected across the top. In the “projected use fortoday” example below, the gray line across the top shows the target fortoday (last year's consumption for this day adjusted by a user's goal),the dark blue line shows the energy used so far today, and the lightblue shows the expected projected consumption for the day. At the bottomthere is an indication of whether the user is expected to reach theirtarget or not, and if so, by how much.

If a users' projected use is above their target, they can be notified totake action to reduce usage. Users can be provided with a “Take Action!”link that takes them to a page that outlines small steps they can taketo reach their target for the day, e.g., “Use a toaster oven instead ofan electric oven (1 kWh, 20 min toaster oven vs. 1 hr in oven)” or “Airdry a load of laundry instead of using your dryer (3.3 kWh, electric)”.

Users can be provided with points when they meet energy usage goals. Thewebsite can show a box that provides a summary of a user's points total,including which milestone they have reached, and how far away they arefrom reaching the next one.

Users can be shown a total savings box that shows how the user's energysaving activity has been adding up, both for the current month and forall time. Savings results can be presented in multiple units includingmoney, lbs of CO2, and kWh. Community totals can also be provided, whichcovers the entire town.

In accordance with one or more embodiments, a Community ActivityNewsfeed is provided as shown in the example of FIG. 18. The CommunityActivity Newsfeed allows users to easily see what content and activityis taking place on the site. All new content generated by other users(snapshots, comments, expert posts) are listed here, providing they havebeen approved and flagged as “public”. The exception is any contentposted within “Your Town.” In some embodiments, users are only alertedto posts by people in their own town, and they will not see activity byusers in other towns.

In addition to the final page of the audit, users can be provided with asuggested path for using site features in a Next Steps box. Each nextstep item has a rule and a priority within the database. The Next Stepsbox only appears in the Dashboard if users meet the criteria to see aNext Step. Users can, e.g., be encouraged to complete their audit,create a snapshot, sign up for actions, upload a photo, etc:

Users can also be encouraged to research energy-saving actions to add totheir savings plan, browse through the expert forum, and take a look atother users' snapshots to see what they have been learning about theirhomes. This can be viewed for the entire home, or filtered by category.

Actions can be tied to a user's audit responses, so only actions thatare relevant to them will be displayed. For example if a user does nothave a hot tub they will not see the hot tub actions on the site.Actions can be one-time tasks, such as cleaning your refrigerator coils,or long-term habit changes, such as air drying your clothes instead ofusing a dryer. Users can browse “Suggested Actions.” Alternatively, auser can see all actions, or view actions as a list by category.

The action detail page (an example of which is shown in FIG. 19)provides an annual savings estimate, an estimated cost to complete theaction, a more detailed action description, a list of the assumptionsmade when calculating the savings, and any relevant references. It isalso possible to see how many people have committed to the action. Userscan comment on an action. The comments are use used to ask a question orshare personal experiences from engaging with an action.

In one or more embodiments, users can ask questions to experts abouttheir energy use and appliances in a threaded discussion that others canalso view and participate in, as illustrated in the example Web page ofFIG. 20. This feature gives users easy access to experts, while alsoproviding a new channel for content development and educationalinformation.

In one or more embodiments, users can see all the snapshots that othershave created, both overall and broken down by category. They can viewall the comments that have been made, and also post their own.

The website can post poll questions for users to answer. These questionswill be used to check in with the users, provide a fun distraction, askusers opinions collect information for the client, and also to generatenew content for the community. The questions might be open ended, ormultiple choice, and will appear on the dashboard. Once the user hasresponded, the question will disappear and they will be able to view asummary of the results.

FIG. 21 is an example of a Savings Plan page, which details the actionsthat the user has considered, committed to, or completed. The totalestimated savings of committed and completed actions are presented atthe top of the page, along with the goal that the user set, with anindication of whether actions are more or less than user goals (i.e.,whether they are likely to reach or exceed their goal by completing theactions in their list).

It is possible to change the units for the page by clicking on the textlinks under the goal chart, so that estimated savings can be viewed inkWh, dollars or pounds of CO2.

The “Your Home” page (an example of which is shown in FIG. 22) providesthe results of the audit that was either completed during intake or inthe course of site use. The bars at the top show how the user's totalannual energy use compares to similar households, and also how theirtotal consumption breaks down by category (Lighting, Kitchen, etc). Eachcategory total is also compared to Similar Households. Below the bars,it is possible to see the cost of the top appliances within their home.By clicking on the categories on the left-hand side, users can view adetailed breakdown of their consumption by category. For example, withinthe Kitchen category they can see how much energy they use with theircooking and refrigeration appliances. The Most Expensive Appliances listwithin each category is presented.

If a user has not yet completed their audit, they can be presented withsample content whenever they access the Your Home section of the site,and they won't be able to view any of their results until they completethe audit.

Users that do not have any actions in a “considering” “committed” or“completed” status in their Savings Plan, will be presented with a linkon the left-hand navigation bar of the My Home page that will take themto the End of Audit Savings Plan page.

The “Your Town” page (an example of which is shown in FIG. 23) providesusers with the opportunity to see how their town is doing. The number ofparticipating households is shown, along with overall savings metricsfor the town. The top savers for the town are listed, with a percentagesavings over the same time the previous year. A discussion board enablesusers to post messages and respond to each other. Finally, they are ableto view a list of their neighbors.

Challenges can be run for any population within the system, e.g., atown, or across towns. A goal (e.g., to save 15% within the next 30days) or challenge (e.g., who can save the most within the next 30 days)is set and communicated to the population via email, Dashboard alerts,the Community Newsfeed, etc. Users can view interim results within theYour Town page, which will also be announced within the channels listedabove. Once the challenge is completed final results will becommunicated, and prizes, if appropriate, will be distributed.

The reports page of the site (an example of which is shown in FIG. 24)shows the user multiple metrics by month including electricity usage,progress to goal, savings information and daily usage breakdowns. Thisinformation is also shown by town and for the whole community. When auser logs in to the site for the first time, the reports tab will notyet be available in the main navigation. Reports are generated and madeavailable after a user has completed one full month in the program.

If a user has incomplete data for a month due to hardware problems orinternet outage, the system can estimate the daily usage for the missingdays using available data. If a user is missing more than 10 days ofdata for a single month, a report is not be generated for that month.

Reports can be viewed in multiple units by clicking on a ‘View by’ linkon the page. They can be re-configured to show kWh, dollars, or lbs ofCO2.

The total use section of reports shows a user how much electricity theyused for the month. In an exemplary embodiment, three bars are shown. Auser's total use, their target usage (goal) and how much similarhouseholds used in the same month. Congratulatory messaging is presentedif a user has met their goal for the month.

This “This Year” chart shows the user an annual view, how their usecompares to their usage from the previous year on a monthly basis.

The Daily Use chart gives the user a daily breakdown of their use forthe month. There is also a daily target and the chart shows how manydays in the month the user has met their daily target.

The Total Savings section of the monthly report shows the user how muchthey saved for the month in question using multiple units. Town andcommunity information is also presented encouraging the user by showingthem how much collectively has been saved.

The Points Earned section of the reports show the user how many pointsthey have earned for the month. Earnings are broken down byparticipation (logging in, posting to the forums, etc.) and pure savingsthat is using less than the previous year and meeting their goal.

In accordance with one or more embodiments, a public page can beprovided for user, allowing other people in the community can learnabout them. It can be accessed when a user clicks on another user'sscreen name from a Community Newsfeed item, Points page or Your Town. Ausers' profile can include a photo, location, “about me” blurb, savingsgoal, Points total (broken down by savings and participation), and alist of their actions. Users can manage what appears on this page byclicking on the “Settings” link.

A Points page can provide a summary of the points activity for the user.A detailed list of recent activity can be provided to explain how pointshave been accruing. For example, for every day that a user is belowtheir daily average from the previous year by a certain percentage, theyget that many points, up to a maximum of 20 per day. If they used, e.g.,15% less than last year they get 15 points. Users can also receivepoints for activity on the site, including logging in, posting aquestion to the expert, or commenting on an action, expert forum threador town discussion thread.

A leader board for points can be displayed on the points page,preferably in a rolling seven day and 30 day format, so that users whohave enrolled in the site at a later time are not penalized. Partneringwith the clients, points can be tied to incentives. Incentives caninclude social recognition points or rewards tied to third parties thatcan be redeemed via a mobile device operated by the user.

By partnering with clients, points can be tied to incentives. Pointscould be redeemed, e.g., for a cash prize or an energy efficientappliance. Monthly contests can be held encouraging users to saveenergy.

Communications from the community server to users can be made by variouselectronic means, including email. These communications are used toreach out to users, make sure they are staying on track with their goalsand encourage them to return to the site by clicking on a link to reviewhow they can reach their goal or sign up for more actions, etc. The usercan also choose whether they would like to receive a daily, weekly ormonthly summary of their usage, goals and targets.

In accordance with one or more embodiments, installations (particularlycommercial installations) can have a public display page showingreal-time tracking data, as well as progress towards goals. Anin-building Kiosk can be used, e.g., to engage individuals in thesavings process by displaying information conveniently and graphically,including results of energy savings challenges. The Kiosk can include aflash movie that allows it to be displayed using a variety of displaytypes. The kiosk changes its display periodically, e.g., on averageevery 10 seconds, to continually show new information to occupants. TheKiosk pages can be displayed in the lobby of any of the buildings using,e.g., a standard LCD computer display. The kiosk screens can also bedisplayed on desktop displays for classrooms or offices. This creates anengaging narrative around a building's participation. A sample Kioskscreenshot is shown in FIG. 25.

It is to be understood that although the invention has been describedabove in terms of particular embodiments, the foregoing embodiments areprovided as illustrative only, and do not limit or define the scope ofthe invention. Various other embodiments, including but not limited tothe following, are also within the scope of the claims. For example,elements and components described herein may be further divided intoadditional components or joined together to form fewer components forperforming the same functions.

Having described preferred embodiments of the present invention, itshould be apparent that modifications can be made without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of managing energy usage in a building,comprising the steps of: collecting data on energy consumption in thebuilding on a generally continuous basis for at least a given timeperiod; and transmitting information relating to the energy consumptionto be displayed to a user on one or more devices, said informationcomprising (a) the data collected on energy consumption to be displayedin real-time on the one or more devices, (b) a comparison of the datacollected on energy consumption in the building to energy consumptiondata of a cohort or group of cohorts, (c) recommendations for reducingenergy consumption in the building based on the data collected on energyconsumption, and (d) progress report data comparing the data collectedon energy consumption to a desired consumption level.
 2. The method ofclaim 1 further comprising calculating and displaying device orequipment level energy consumption and costs in the building.
 3. Themethod of claim 1 further comprising creating a savings plan for theuser, and wherein the progress report data compares the data collectedon energy consumption to the savings plan.
 4. The method of claim 1further comprising enabling the user to select the cohort or group ofcohorts.
 5. The method of claim 4 further comprising collecting energyusage data from multiple other users who can be used as a cohort orgroup of cohorts.
 6. The method of claim 1 further comprising displayingdata on energy consumption in a unit selected from a set of possibleunits deemed to affect user behavior.
 7. The method of claim 1 whereinthe one or more devices includes a display in the building that providespersistent feedback to the user on energy usage in the building forencouraging user behavior reducing or changing energy usage in thebuilding.
 8. The method of claim 7 wherein the display comprises anambient device.
 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the information isdisplayed in a color coded format on the ambient device.
 10. The methodof claim 8 wherein the information is displayed in a bar graph format onthe ambient device.
 11. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or moredevices includes a client device that retrieves the information from aWeb server.
 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the information isdisplayed on a dashboard accessible from a Web portal hosted by the Webserver.
 13. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more devicesincludes a mobile communication device operated by the user.
 14. Themethod of claim 1 wherein the data on energy consumption is displayed ina graphical format.
 15. The method of claim 1 further comprisingproviding an audio output indicating energy consumption in the building.16. The method of claim 1 wherein collecting data comprises performingplug level or circuit level monitoring of electricity usage in thebuilding.
 17. The method of claim 16 further comprising controlling anappliance in the building based on a specified user preference.
 18. Themethod of claim 1 wherein the desired consumption level is based onhistorical energy usage data.
 19. The method of claim 1 wherein theinformation further includes a snapshot of energy consumption for thebuilding for a given period of time.
 20. (canceled)
 21. (canceled)
 22. Asystem for managing energy usage in a building, comprising: an apparatusfor collecting data on energy consumption in the building on a generallycontinuous basis for at least a given time period; a gatewaycommunicating with the apparatus for receiving data on energyconsumption in the building, said gateway transmitting the data onenergy consumption in the building to a remote server computer system;and one or more devices communicating with the gateway or the server forreceiving information relating to the energy consumption to be displayedto a user, said information comprising (a) the data collected on energyconsumption displayed in real-time on the one or more devices, (b) acomparison of the data collected on energy consumption in the buildingto energy consumption data of a cohort or group of cohorts, (c)recommendations for reducing energy consumption in the building based onthe data collected on energy consumption, and (d) progress report datacomparing the data collected on energy consumption to a desiredconsumption level. 23-45. (canceled)
 46. A computer-readable mediumstoring instructions that, if executed by a computing system having aprocessor, cause the computing system to perform a method of managingenergy usage in a building, the method comprising: collecting data onenergy consumption in the building on a generally continuous basis forat least a given time period; and transmitting information relating tothe energy consumption to be displayed to a user on one or more devices,said information comprising (a) the data collected on energy consumptionto be displayed in real-time on the one or more devices, (b) acomparison of the data collected on energy consumption in the buildingto energy consumption data of a cohort or group of cohorts, (c)recommendations for reducing energy consumption in the building based onthe data collected on energy consumption, and (d) progress report datacomparing the data collected on energy consumption to a desiredconsumption level.